Are Immigrants Socially Isolated? An Assessment of Neighbors and Neighboring in Canadian Cities

Abstract

Recently, the media have expressed concern about the apparent concentration and social isolation of immigrants in central and inner suburban neighborhoods in large Canadian cities. This paper compares and contrasts the frequency and nature of neighborhood-based social contacts among three cohorts of immigrants distinguished by their period of arrival in Canada and Canadian-born individuals. We begin by outlining the family, friend, and acquaintance relationships that immigrants build and argue that their networks are culturally diverse and dominated by acquaintances. In this context, intense friendships rarely develop between neighbors, even for recent newcomers. Rather, neighboring consists mainly of casual interactions between individuals that often involve the provision of mundane forms of assistance. Despite their fleeting and routine qualities, social relations with neighbors lead the vast majority of people to express strong levels of belonging to their neighborhoods. As a consequence, we argue that the neighborhood is an underestimated locale for understanding social inclusion.Résumé Ces derniers temps, les médias ont révélé des préoccupations quant à la concentration apparente et l'isolation sociale des immigrants dans les quartiers centraux et ceux des banlieues proches des grandes villes canadiennes. Cet article établit une comparaison de la fréquence et la nature des contacts sociaux basés dans le quartier parmi trois cohortes d'immigrants (classées selon la date de leur arrivée au Canada) et celles des personnes nées au Canada. Nous commençons en dressant un portrait des rapports que tissent les immigrants avec leur famille, leurs amis et leurs connaissances, et soutenons que leurs réseaux sont diversifiés sur le plan culturel et que les connaissances y jouent un rôle prépondérant. Dans ce contexte, il Int. Migration & Integration (est rare que les amitiés intenses se développent entre voisins, même pour les nouveaux arrivants. Les contacts entre voisins consistent principalement en des interactions occasionnelles entre des individus qui, souvent, se rendent un service banal. Malgré la qualité fugace et routinière de ces relations sociales entre voisins, la grande majorité des gens expriment un fort sentiment d'appartenance à leurs quartiers. Ainsi, nous proposons que l'on sous-estime le potentiel du quartier comme lieu pour comprendre l'inclusion sociale.

Hate-Crime Victimization and Fear of Hate Crime Among Racially Visible People in Canada: The Role of Income as a Mediating Factor

“…The likelihood of Blacks facing higher hate crime victimization is consistent with other studies (see e.g., Bania, Janhevich, & Hastings, 2008;Ray & Preston, 2009). This confirms the hypothesis that among the visible minority groups, the likelihood of hate crime victimization among Blacks will be higher compare to nonvisible minority groups.…”

“…Since all the odds for fear of hate crime are significant, it gives credence to the proposition made earlier that hate crime is more of a race issue than ones' socioeconomic status. Similarly, Ray and Preston (2009) and Janhevich, Bania, and Hastings (2008), found in their study that those who have been victims of hate crime are four times more likely to be worried about hate-crime victimization.…”

“…Conversely, other victimization scholars found that racially motivated crimes and victimization transcends disadvantaged neighborhood conditions or the level of an individual's family income. Rather, it has to do more with the person's ethno-cultural background or simply, their status as visible minority groups (Bania, Javenich, & Hastings, 2008;Ray & Preston, 2009). In the area of economic conditions and hate crime victimization, Green, Strolovitch, and Wong (1998) found no relationship between rates of racially motivated crime and macroeconomic conditions.…”

Geographies of Discrimination: Variations in Perceived Discomfort and Discrimination in Canada's Gateway Cities

“…Specifically, a sense of trust in others and especially in neighbors reduces the odds of reporting racial discomfort and discrimination. While numerous studies have demonstrated that social ties with neighbors are usually weak or very casual (Ray & Preston 2009), these informal types of socializing may be very important in constructing a sense of belonging, especially among newcomers to Canada.…”

Organismes communautaires en employabilité et nouveaux immigrants à Montréal : quel est l’apport des services offerts ?

“…Certains font appel aux réseaux sociaux (Arcand et al 2009 ;Piché et al 2002). En effet, ces réseaux constituent souvent des mécanismes de transmission de l'information sur le milieu du travail pour les immigrants (La Grenade 2009) et peuvent faciliter leur accès aux ressources et aux opportunités d'emploi (Castles et Miller 2003 ;Ray et Preston 2009 ;Ryan et al 2008 ;Statistique Canada 2003). D'autre part, certains employeurs cherchent d'abord leur maind'oeuvre dans leur entourage.…”